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| Full name | The Spartans Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1951; 75 years ago (1951) | ||
| Ground | Ainslie Park,Edinburgh | ||
| Capacity | 3,612 (534 seated) | ||
| Chairman | Craig Graham | ||
| Manager | Douglas Samuel | ||
| League | Scottish League Two | ||
| 2024–25 | Scottish League Two, 5th of 10 | ||
| Website | http://www.spartansfc.com/ | ||
The Spartans Football Club are a Scottishfootball club based inEdinburgh and currently compete inScottish League Two. They were formed in 1951 by ex-players ofEdinburgh University and the original intention was the team would be exclusively graduates of theuniversity. However, the club is now open to players of any background. Spartans play atAinslie Park and wear white shirts, red shorts and white socks.[1]
The senior team plays inScottish League Two, and are managed by Dougie Samuel. They joined theLowland League in 2013, after playing in theEast of Scotland Football League, where it had become one of its most successful clubs from the 1970s onwards. Spartans have been allowed to play in the qualifying rounds of theScottish Cup since 1978 and qualified for the cup proper on several occasions during their junior days.
Spartans entered their top amateur side into theSJFA East Region junior setup in 2009, but withdrew in 2013. Spartans also have an Under-20 squad in the Lowlands U20s Development League, a Saturday amateur side, a Sunday amateur side and several women's teams, includingThe Spartans W.F.C.
Spartans chairman Craig Graham was appointedMBE in 2017 for his service to the community of North Edinburgh.[2]
In 2023, Spartans were promoted toScottish League Two after overcomingAlbion Rovers in the play-offs.
The Spartans' most successfulScottish Cup run was in2003–04, when they defeatedBuckie Thistle 6–1 in front of a crowd of 450 in Edinburgh in the first round, before defeatingAlloa Athletic 5–3 in a replay (the first game had been drawn 3–3) in Edinburgh in the second round. They then defeatedArbroath (who had been in theSFL First Division only the year before) 4–1 atGayfield Park in the third round, before being beaten 4–0 at home byScottish Premier League teamLivingston in front of a full house of 3,000 fans atCity Park.
Two seasons later in2005–06, Spartans defeatedBerwick Rangers,Lossiemouth andQueen's Park in the first three rounds of the Scottish Cup. They drew 0–0 with First Division sideSt Mirren in the last sixteen in front of 3,326 fans at City Park, earning a replay atLove Street, where they lost 3–0.
In the2008–09 Scottish Cup, Spartans' cup run sent them toPollok, winning through a replay, they then beatAnnan Athletic 2–1. In the next round they beatElgin City 2–1, before being knocked out byAirdrie United in the fourth round.
Spartans, along with four other clubs, submitted an application for entry into theScottish Football League followingGretna relinquishing their league status on 3 June 2008.[3] Spartans lost out toAnnan Athletic.
In November 2008, Spartans moved to a new purpose-built home at Ainslie Park, situated 500 yards from City Park in theCrewe Toll district of Edinburgh. The new facility includes a 504-seater stand and floodlights surrounding the main stadium pitch and an adjacent, full size artificial pitch with floodlights. Ainslie Park is now used daily by youth and adult Spartans teams, along with the general public. The club also won the league title thisseason.
In the2009–10 season, Spartans won the quadruple, consisting of theEast of Scotland Premier Division, the SFA South Challenge Cup, the King Cup and the League Cup. The 2009–10 league title gave Spartans back to back title wins for the first time since 2005.
During the2010–11 season, Spartans won their third league title in a row. The nextseason they lost the league title on goal difference toStirling University, while in the2012–13 season, they finished third in the league.
Spartans joined the newly formedLowland Football League for the2013–14 season, winning the inaugural title. They finished as runners-up in2015–16 and won the League Cup a year later, before becoming Lowland League champions for a second time in2017–18. This allowed Spartans to take part in the Pyramid play-off, however they lost 5–2 on aggregate toCove Rangers.
The club progressed to the fifth round (last 16) of the2014–15 Scottish Cup, defeatingClyde andMorton en route.[4]
In the fifth round of the competition, Spartans forced a replay withBerwick Rangers on 7 February 2015, thanks to an injury time equaliser from Ally MacKinnon to level the tie at 1–1, the game being played in front of 2,504 supporters at Ainslie Park.[5][6]
In the2022–23 season, Spartans won the Lowland League title for a third time. During that season's Pyramid play-offs they defeatedHighland League championsBrechin City 4–3 on penalties before defeatingAlbion Rovers 2–1 on aggregate in the final to progress toScottish League Two.
Following a Blair Henderson penalty kick winner against Albion Rovers to seal promotion to the SPFL into Scotland's fourth tier, Spartans went on to have a very successful season. In their first competitive game as an SPFL side, they defeatedDundee United at Ainslie Park 1–0 in the League Cup.
Spartans would finish third, only 10 points less than eventual winners Stenhousemuir. This earned them a play-off place at the first time of asking, and the opportunity for back-to-back promotions to the third tier. Having beaten Peterhead and qualified for the final, they would suffer defeat at the hands of Dumbarton, 4–3 on aggregate.
In the2024–25 League Two season, the goal for Spartans was solidifying their status within the SPFL. They finished in fifth place and narrowly missed out on another play-off opportunity. They also defeated local rivals Edinburgh City at Ainslie Park twice and beat Premiership outfit Ross County at home in the League Cup. Eventually, they were knocked out in the quarter-finals away to Aberdeen.
Ainslie Park on Pilton Drive in north Edinburgh is the home ground of Spartans. The stadium has a capacity of 3,612 (504 seated). Ainslie Park is only part of the new project that Spartans have invested into their new ground, a wider development of the Spartans Community Football Academy. The new facility incorporates a fully enclosed stadium which meetsSFA andSPFL criteria, with an artificial pitch, floodlights, seating for 504 spectators and an overall capacity of 3,612. Another full size, floodlit artificial pitch sits adjacent to the main playing area and the accommodation incorporates six changing rooms, a club room, committee room and a physio room. The Club ground holds a P.A system and a bar for spectators.
In March 2017,Edinburgh City reached an agreement with Spartans to use Ainslie Park ground for three seasons whileMeadowbank Stadium was being redeveloped.[7]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Sporting director | Mixu Paatelainen |
| Manager | Douglas Samuel |
| Assistant manager | Darren Cameron |
| First team coaches | Chris Anderson Paul Thomson |
| Goalkeeping coach | Steven Ellison |
| Physiotherapists | Craig Samuel Sophie Marr |
East of Scotland Football League
SFA South Region Challenge Cup
East of Scotland Qualifying Cup
East of Scotland City Cup
East of Scotland League Cup
King Cup
Ronnie Swan Challenge Cup
The formerScotland internationalEamonn Bannon had a spell playing for Spartans in the 1990s.
Spartans Football Club Women's and Girls is awomen's football team that plays in theScottish Women's Premier League, the top division of women's football in Scotland. Spartans F.C. Women is part of Spartans F.C. in NorthEdinburgh and play and train at the club's training facilities.
